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Home Decorating

How would you arrange this room?

13 years ago

We are remodeling the kitchen and this brought us into the living room/old dining room. I'm always struggling to arrange this living room (and yes, I do have to deal with the big tv) due to the dimensions, etc. I'm going to buy new furniture, but not sure what pieces I need.

The second area is the old dining room that we don't use. We've had a piano in it. What would you do with this area? I'm thinking of two comfy chairs with a ottoman and the piano - since we don't always have a lot of seating.

Dimensions of rooms are:

Living Room is 13' x 16'(window wall) with 8' along the wooden rail area.

Old Dining Room is 10.5'(window wall) x 13.5' (same 8' wooden rail)

Here is a link that might be useful: Living Room and Old Dining Room

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Comments (3)

Shannon01
13 years ago
Ok, you mention needing more seating so I think you are on the right track. You can use sofa, table and chairs to view tv. I wonder if you want to do a sectional for the tv room rather than the sofa? Or would it be too far across the room? It looks like it would work. If so I would place it along the window wall and the railing area. This would open those seated on the window wall to interact with those in piano area. Even if too far back from tv you could still do sectional, pulling it away from railing and having a sofa table behind it with just enough room to walk back there.
graywings123
13 years ago
Living room: I'm thinking of two swivel chairs and the sofa to give you maximum versatility in arranging them. I would try the sofa on the back wall and the two chairs under the window facing the TV on the long wall. One thing to keep in mind when furniture shopping is the scale of the pieces. Men want big hulking pieces of furniture, but smaller scaled pieces without high backs or big arms are going to fit better in the room.

As for the dining room area, you say you need seating but is anyone going to really go into that room and just sit? Does anyone regularly play the piano or should you think about getting rid of it? What is your lifestyle, what can you use the space for? Some people would turn it into a library; I would turn it into a home office. Do you do sewing or crafts? Do the kids need a place to do their homework? Start by identifying a function for the room.
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With all of the built ins, this is actually a MUCH smaller room than it appears to be, and that you are trying to arrange furniture for. And that is why the furniture feels crowded. Crowded, not cozy. The desk and ladder visually blocking the door makes the space feel like there is no room to walk. That may not be correct based on your comments, but it is absolutely the first thing you notice and it sets a tone for the room. The hard lines of the large beautiful desk make the only spot really suited to it in front of the windows. It overwhelms the space if you want comfy seating too because it doesn't leave enough room left over for anything but a small loveseat or oversized chair where you have the desk currently. And the large sofa overwhelms the space if you want it as a more officey area. There isn't room for both functions because of the built ins. You've got to pick one large piece to embody the main purpose here. Either the large desk or a large sofa. Not both. Both don't work with the available floor space. Unless you switch to a small scale writing desk and a smaller scale sofa, and maybe not even then. No extra chair at all. It's already too densely populated. And I agree with the others that the ottoman is visually too bulky and casual for the room. If you choose comfy seating as the room's primary purpose, then I'd choose a sofa that had a matching ottoman to keep the visual clutter at a minimum. All of the different books when they go in will up the noise considerably and you want to try to minimize that effect.
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Comments (3)
What’s on the wall opposite the fireplace? If possible, put the tv there over a low console. A sofa and chairs are more flexible than a sectional IMO. Your current furniture looks comfortable and inviting. If you pull the sofa forward a bit toward the fireplace, add some artwork on the tall wall, a coffee table and some end tables, larger art over the fp, you’d be good to go. Unless the furniture is worn out or something. I like that you have some color in the room when everyone and their grandmother is buying gray furniture. Blech. Sorry, I’m developing a real dislike for the gray trend and it can’t go away soon enough for me. You may feel differently and that’s ok. A lot of people like it. Or instead of using the wall opposite the fp for the tv, put it on the wall where the sofa is, put the sofa facing the fp, chairs where they are now more or less. The scarf on the window is out of style, I’d remove it and just have plain curtain panels. White or off-white linen would be nice.
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Comments (4)
Please don’t limit your room with a sectional. So many regret this choice with rooms that don’t accommodate this type furniture. So post the measurements of this room and I can do a scale drawing and give you specific sizes that will work including possible sectional. Measurements are your friend against big mistakes and costs. Kudos for posting this dilemma and asking before you make decisions. Smart!
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Comments (1)
Corner windows are nice. Embrace. is this a, quiet visit room or a tv room? How many seats do you need? Embrace the window by putting chairs perpendicular to each other with a table in the corner to enjoy the view. If there will be a tv, let it be on your door wall so you don't see it when you walk in. That would allow 2 sofas L'd or a sectional. Many options in this room. Just don't dis the corner window. 😎
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Shannon01
13 years ago
Book cases on the main wall with reading chair on right side of window where the rail is. If you got rid of piano. Or like Graywings said, home office.

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